


little white lines

by catpoop



Series: Sheith Month 2017 [12]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Ambidextrous Keith, Cuddling, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Scars, SheithMonth2k17, yes its literally a fic about hands
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 06:14:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11891742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpoop/pseuds/catpoop
Summary: Sheith Month '17 - 18/8: Right HandThe orphanage never took well to Keith's left-handedness





	little white lines

**Author's Note:**

> just a little drabble

Shiro doesn’t notice the scars until Keith removes his gloves for the first time. Truth be told, he’s never stepped foot in Keith’s room before, and he should’ve realised that the black leather wasn’t surgically attached to his skin. 

He finally gains Keith’s trust, enough to let the teen lower his guard around him, and the first thing he wants to do is ask about the faint raised lines on the back of his left hand.

Shiro feels like a horrible friend when his stupid mouth blurts out his thoughts. “What’s that – on your hand?”

Stiffening, Keith clutches said hand to his chest, guardedly staring at Shiro. “No – Nothing.”

“Oh. Okay.” Shiro winces at the tension in the room, and hurries to change the subject.

\-----

It’s three years later that Shiro finally musters up the courage to ask him again, when they’re entwined on their bed, Keith tracing a scar down his side with his fingers. Gently, Shiro pulls Keith’s hand into his own, smoothing a thumb over the same whitened lines he’d noticed all those years ago.

“What happened?”

Keith breathes into his shoulder. “Hm. Nothing big – it was ages ago. Just the stupid orphanage.”

Shiro tenses, knowing that Keith has few positive memories associated with the orphanage, and that he’s always reluctant to divulge the details. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” he reassures, but Keith shakes his head.

“No, I should – should talk about it.” He sucks in an inhale. “Yeah. So, um – it was just the matrons being stupid, seeing me write with my left hand or – do anything with my left hand, and thinking that was a big deal.” A bitter laugh bubbles from his throat, and Shiro shifts to pull him further into his embrace. “Hah. Well, turns out I’m now equally good with both hands, so – their loss.”

Shiro studies the raised lines again. They’re a little stretched out, and Shiro can imagine a smaller Keith with chubbier hands, taking the full brunt of their … beliefs.

“Was it a stick?” He murmurs. “A –”

“Ruler,” Keith finishes.

Oh. “I’m sorry,” Shiro tries, but he knows the words are meaningless, when these things happened so far in the past. “Thank you for telling me.” _For_ trusting _me enough._

Keith is quiet by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you fo rreading :)
> 
> @swummeng-geys.tumblr.com  
> twitter: @hashtag_yikes


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